Written Answers

Tuesday 14 March 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the number of farmers and crofters who it anticipates will be sequestrated in each of the next five years and the associated cost to public funds and whether it considers that additional support provided now to farmers and crofters would cost less to public funds in the long term.

Ross Finnie: It would be inappropriate for the Scottish Executive to seek to forecast decisions taken by thousands of businessmen and women. These decisions are based on a multitude of factors, most of which are outwith the control of the Executive. The aim of the Executive is to work with the farming industry to help it create a more viable and sustainable future.

Agriculture

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3711 by Ross Finnie on 27 January 2000, whether it will detail for each of the years mentioned the sums actually taken up from those sums referred to as "offers of financial assistance" and why this information was not provided in response to the original question which asked for it.

Ross Finnie: The following table shows the actual take-up of known financial assistance made to the pig industry in Scotland out of the provision made for it during the period 1995-1999. As the table demonstrates there can be a lag between provision and uptake.

  Financial Assistance paid to the pig industry 1995-99 (£000)

  


1995

  

1996

  

1997

  

1998

  

1999

  



282

  

61

  

403

  

248

  

428

Care of Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many elements of the recommendations of the Sutherland Report With Respect to Old Age for a National Care Commission have been accepted; how many have not been accepted and what they are, and what criteria were used for selection or rejection.

Iain Gray: In the debate on older people on 2 December 1999, I indicated that the Scottish Executive accepted the recommendation of the Royal Commission that there should be a National Care Commission "to monitor trends, including demography and spending, ensure transparency and accountability in the system, represent the interests of consumers and set national benchmarks". I proposed that the recommendation would be fulfilled in Scotland through the establishment of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care.

  We intend that the Commission will be responsible for ensuring that all social care is provided to national standards. It will create a national database of care services and will be able to use this, together with demographic and resource data collected by the Scottish Executive, to advise on trends. It will have the power to investigate complaints about care services and report on them. It will advise on changes needed to the national care standards. It will also provide advice to those offering services on how to meet the standards and improve the service they provide.

  We are at present consulting on our proposal for the Commission.

Care of Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the projected social work expenditure on care of the elderly and what was the actual expenditure in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Iain Gray: Budgeted social work expenditure on care of the elderly is given below. Final outturn figures were given in my response to your question S1W-4398, dated 22 February 2000. Data are only given for years since local government reorganisation in April 1996.

  Comparison between budgeted and final outturn expenditure on the elderly is not directly possible due to a number of differences in the classification of expenditure between the two returns to the Scottish Executive.

  Budgeted Social Work Expenditure1 on Care for the Elderly – 1996-97, 1997-98 & 1998-99

  


Local Authority

  

1996-97
£ 

  millions

  

1997-98
£ 

  millions

  

1998-99
£ 

  millions

  



Aberdeen 

  City2


9.5 

  

  

9.5 

  

  

19.7

  



Aberdeenshire 

  

  

8.2 

  

  

8.3 

  

  

8.8

  



Angus 

  

11.0 

  

  

11.9 

  

  

12.5

  



Argyll and 

  Bute 

  

8.4 

  

  

8.1 

  

  

9.1

  



Clackmannanshire 

  

  

3.0 

  

  

4.0 

  

  

4.7

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway 

  

13.1 

  

  

13.6 

  

  

15.9

  



Dundee City 

  

  

17.9 

  

  

15.3 

  

  

16.7

  



East Ayrshire 

  

  

6.9 

  

  

8.6 

  

  

9.1

  



East Dunbartonshire 

  

  

5.3 

  

  

4.2 

  

  

6.3

  



East Lothian 

  

  

7.7 

  

  

8.0 

  

  

8.0

  



East Renfrewshire 

  

  

4.0 

  

  

4.8 

  

  

5.2

  



Edinburgh 

  

  

37.3 

  

  

38.4 

  

  

38.0

  



Eilean Siar 

  

  

5.2 

  

  

5.4 

  

  

5.7

  



Falkirk 

  

  

7.9 

  

  

3.2 

  

  

6.6

  



Fife 

  

29.7 

  

  

28.7 

  

  

27.0

  



Glasgow 

  

  

59.4 

  

  

58.1 

  

  

63.7

  



Highland 

  

  

15.1 

  

  

15.1 

  

  

18.5

  



Inverclyde 

  

  

5.7 

  

  

6.1 

  

  

7.7

  



Midlothian 

  

  

6.5 

  

  

6.4 

  

  

6.2

  



Moray 

  

3.7 

  

  

3.9 

  

  

4.2

  



North Ayrshire 

  

  

9.9 

  

  

8.7 

  

  

9.8

  



North Lanarkshire 

  

  

17.6 

  

  

23.4 

  

  

25.4

  



Orkney Islands 

  

  

2.4 

  

  

2.5 

  

  

2.6

  



Perth and 

  Kinross 

  

10.0 

  

  

10.5 

  

  

10.4

  



Renfrewshire 

  

  

10.0 

  

  

13.9 

  

  

14.7

  



Scottish 

  Borders 

  

8.2 

  

  

8.9 

  

  

8.3

  



Shetland 

  Islands 

  

2.6 

  

  

4.1 

  

  

3.9

  



South Ayrshire 

  

  

7.8 

  

  

9.2 

  

  

10.0

  



South Lanarkshire 

  

  

16.2 

  

  

26.4 

  

  

21.7

  



Stirling 

  

  

1.5 

  

  

4.3 

  

  

6.8

  



West Dunbartonshire 

  

  

10.9 

  

  

10.9 

  

  

9.2

  



West Lothian 

  

  

12.2 

  

  

12.1 

  

  

12.1

  



Scotland 

  Total 

  

374.6 

  

  

396.6 

  

  

428.8

  



  Source: As reported by Local Authorities on Provisional Outturn Budget Estimate (POBE) returns.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are net expenditure excluding loan and leasing charges and Capital from Current Revenue (CFCR).

  2. In 1996-97 and 1997-98, part of Aberdeen City’s expenditure on the elderly was entered outwith the elderly section of the POBE return. This accounts for the high increase in the council’s budgeted expenditure for 1998-99.

Child Abuse

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to adopt the recommendation in the report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Child Abuse in North Wales to approve the introduction of "Independent Officers" to deal with allegations of child abuse.

Mr Sam Galbraith: As I indicated in my written answer on 16 February to a question from Karen Gillon (S1W-4413), the Tribunal's report requires serious and considered attention. We are now actively examining recommendations on policy and practice. In doing so, we are taking into account action already being taken in response to Roger Kent's report on Children's Safeguards .

  As part of the response to Roger Kent’s report, we have made funding available through the Children’s Services Development Fund to assist the build-up of a network of children’s rights officers. Part of their function is to provide an advocacy service to young people, especially those looked after by local authorities in a residential setting away from home. It is equally open to a young person to pursue a complaint against an authority through the statutory complaints procedure which makes provision for an independent element in the investigation of cases.

Culture

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3438 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 11 January 2000, how much of the savings generated by the abolition of assisted places in schools have been utilised to fund Scottish Opera and the National Stadium Project at Hampden.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The package to assist Scottish Opera will draw on £1.1 million savings resulting from the phasing out of the assisted places scheme. No savings from the assisted places scheme have been used to provide funding for the National Stadium Project at Hampden.

Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund and promote educational services in secondary schools to raise understanding and awareness of mental illness and provide advice and guidance to pupils and staff.

Peter Peacock: Curriculum Design for the Secondary Stages: Guidelines for Schools published in June 1999 provides clear curricular goals, i.e. "schools have a responsibility to help pupils be disposed to have: a commitment to learning; respect and care for self; respect and care for others; and a sense of social responsibility." The Health Education Board for Scotland, who give a lead to many national health education efforts in Scotland is supporting a number of projects in schools designed to promote mental wellbeing and is committed to developing resources to assist teachers in recognising children who may need additional professional support.

Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Bill

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the phrase "stable family life", contained within its duties of councils section in the proposed Ethical Standards in Pubic Life Bill, includes children living with (a) a married couple; (b) an unmarried heterosexual couple; (c) a gay male couple; (d) a lesbian couple; (e) a lone parent and (f) other carers such as grandparents, other blood relations, foster parents and guardians.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The term "stable family life" is an inclusive one which reflects the diversity of family composition in Scotland today and, as the First Minister made clear in his statement in the chamber on this matter, marriage is an important part of the mix that we have in our society. The vital consideration is a stable and secure background for the bringing up of children.

European Funding

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority access to European grants such as the new INTERREG III programme and European structural funds could be constrained by the issue of additionality.

Mr Jack McConnell: No. As Commissioner Barnier confirmed recently in the European Parliament, the United Kingdom meets its obligations, and ensures that Structural Funds are additional.

  The requirement to provide match funding is the responsibility of the project sponsor. It is therefore up to individual authorities and agencies to give priority to proposals seeking Structural Funds support.

Health

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether North British Hotels’ offer of £310,000 to buy and install a C.T. Scanner for Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban will be accepted in the light of a new offer from a charity of a further £140,000 to cover the running costs for two years.

Susan Deacon: The Board of Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust met on 29 February to consider a revised business case for a CT scanner. The revised business case makes a substantial difference to the clinical and economic arguments for the scanner. I understand that, subject to confirmation of the charitable offers available from the North British Hotels and the George Livanos Trust, Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust will proceed to procure and install the equipment.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of vacant nursing posts in the period September 1999 to January 2000, broken down by (a) individual hospital trusts; (b) grades and (c) speciality.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally. The latest available information is at 30 April 1999. Table 1 shows the total number of nursing vacancies in the NHS in Scotland split by provider and qualification. Table 2 shows a speciality breakdown.

  At any one time there is a degree of normal "structural" vacancies owing to the time required to advertise, interview and appoint replacements. The figures show that there were only 450 whole time equivalent vacancies unfilled for three months or more. This represents 1% of the total establishment.

  Table 1

  


Total nursing 

  staff vacancies1,2,3 in the NHS in Scotland by provider 

  and qualification 

  



Whole Time 

  Equivalent: at 30 April 1999 

  

WTE 

  



 


Total 

  

Qualified 

  

Unqualified 

  



Total 

  

1 

  270.6 

  

 

  989.3 

  

 

  281.3 

  



Ayrshire 

  & Arran Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  30.8 

  

 

  20.0 

  

 

  10.8 

  



Ayrshire 

  & Arran Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  49.8 

  

 

  25.4 

  

 

  24.4 

  



Borders 

  Acute Hospital NHS Trust 

  

 

  13.7 

  

 

  10.6 

  

 

  3.1 

  



Borders 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

- 

   

  

- 

   

  

- 

   

  



Argyll & 

  Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  42.6 

  

 

  40.1 

  

 

  2.5 

  



Lomond & 

  Argyll Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  17.7 

  

 

  16.3 

  

 

  1.4 

  



Renfrewshire 

  & Inverclyde Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  83.2 

  

 

  63.5 

  

 

  19.7 

  



Blood Transfusion 

  Service 

  

 

  2.8 

  

 

  2.8 

  

- 

   

  



State Hospital 

  

 

  7.0 

  

 

  7.0 

  

- 

   

  



Fife Acute 

  Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  13.3 

  

 

  11.3 

  

 

  2.0 

  



Fife Primary 

  Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  48.1 

  

 

  37.7 

  

 

  10.4 

  



Yorkhill 

  NHS Trust 

  

 

  19.9 

  

 

  12.7 

  

 

  7.3 

  



South Glasgow 

  University Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

x 

   

  

x 

   

  

x 

   

  



North Glasgow 

  University Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  195.7 

  

 

  176.3 

  

 

  19.4 

  



Greater 

  Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  66.5 

  

 

  57.5 

  

 

  8.9 

  



Highland 

  Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  9.6 

  

 

  3.2 

  

 

  6.4 

  



Highland 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  15.6 

  

 

  15.2 

  

 

  0.4 

  



Lanarkshire 

  Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  14.5 

  

 

  11.5 

  

 

  3.0 

  



Lanarkshire 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  46.1 

  

 

  34.8 

  

 

  11.3 

  



Grampian 

  University Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  173.4 

  

 

  131.3 

  

 

  42.1 

  



Grampian 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  5.2 

  

 

  5.2 

  

- 

   

  



Orkney Health 

  Board 

  

 

  2.5 

  

 

  2.5 

  

- 

   

  



Lothian 

  University Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  233.0 

  

 

  164.2 

  

 

  68.8 

  



Lothian 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

x 

   

  

x 

   

  

x 

   

  



West Lothian 

  Healthcare NHS Trust 

  

 

  12.4 

  

- 

   

  

 

  12.4 

  



Tayside 

  University Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  26.5 

  

 

  24.2 

  

 

  2.3 

  



Tayside 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  32.2 

  

 

  29.1 

  

 

  3.2 

  



Forth Valley 

  Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  30.1 

  

 

  28.4 

  

 

  1.7 

  



Forth Valley 

  Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  24.6 

  

 

  17.9 

  

 

  6.8 

  



Western 

  Isles Health Board 

  

 

  25.2 

  

 

  15.7 

  

 

  9.5 

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway Acute & Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust 

  

 

  13.7 

  

 

  13.7 

  

- 

   

  



Dumfries 

  & Galloway Primary Care NHS Trust 

  

 

  5.9 

  

 

  2.8 

  

 

  3.1 

  



Shetland 

  Health Board 

  

 

  9.0 

  

 

  8.5 

  

 

  0.5 

  



  Source: ISD (M) 36 ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Excludes nurses in training.

  2. The trusts that have not submitted returns are South Glasgow University Hospitals and Lothian Primary Care.

  3. The vacancy figures relate to vacant posts at 30 April, irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

  Table 2

  


Total nursing 

  staff vacancies1,2,3 by occupation group 

  



Whole Time 

  Equivalent: at 30 April 1999 

  

WTE 

  






Total 

  



Total 

  

1,270.4 

  



Qualified 

  

 

  989.2 

  



First level 

  registered nurse 

  

 

  938.3 

  



Nurse Managers 

  

 

  6.0 

  



Education 

  

- 

   

  



ITU 

  

 

  29.4 

  



A&E 

  

 

  31.3 

  



Theatre 

  

 

  62.9 

  



Care of 

  elderly 

  

 

  101.0 

  



Other general 

  

 

  421.1 

  



Paediatrics 

  

 

  23.4 

  



Midwifery 

  

 

  35.9 

  



Maternity 

  

 

  9.8 

  



Health visiting 

  

 

  33.5 

  



District 

  nursing 

  

 

  38.1 

  



Mental health 

  

 

  116.9 

  



Learning 

  difficulties 

  

 

  19.0 

  



Community 

  

 

  10.0 

  



Second level 

  registered staff 

  

 

  50.9 

  



General 

  nursing 

  

 

  33.6 

  



Paediatrics 

  

- 

   

  



Maternity 

  (nursing) 

  

 

  1.1 

  



Mental health 

  

 

  3.5 

  



Learning 

  difficulties 

  

 

  6.7 

  



District 

  nursing 

  

 

  2.8 

  



Community 

  

 

  3.2 

  



Unqualified 

  

 

  281.2 

  



Auxiliaries 

  and assistants 

  

 

  273.7 

  



Nursery 

  nurses 

  

 

  5.0 

  



Healthcare 

  Assistants 

  

 

  2.5 

  



  Source: ISD (M) 36 ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Excludes nurses in training.

  2. The trusts that have not submitted returns are South Glasgow Hospitals and Lothian Primary Care.

  3. The vacancy figures relate to vacant posts at 30 April, irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to take control over the prices of non-pharmaceutical price regulation scheme branded medicines and branded generics sold to the NHS.

Susan Deacon: This matter is reserved to the Department of Health. We are in touch with the Department of Health on a wide range of issues including the prices of non-pharmaceutical price regulation scheme branded medicines and branded generics sold to the NHS.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage local authorities to provide full access to their records for the Accounts Commission, in order that it can monitor more effectively local authorities’ settlement of payment to private suppliers and contractors.

Mr Jack McConnell: Section 100 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 provides auditors a right of access to all documents relating to the accounts of a local authority. Section 1 of the Local Government Act 1992 provides that the Accounts Commission may require local authorities to publish annually performance information including invoice payment.

Local Government Finance

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has had to pay out in interest payments on overdue debts to firms with less than 50 employees in each year since the Late Payment Act 1998 came into effect.

Mr Jack McConnell: This information is not held centrally. Payment arrangements are a matter between local authorities and individual suppliers.

Mental Health

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the Children in Scotland report on key issues regarding children and young people in the review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984.

Susan Deacon: The Children in Scotland report on issues affecting children and young people in the review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 was not commissioned by the Scottish Executive. The report was commissioned by the Millan Committee, which is currently reviewing mental health law in Scotland; publication, or otherwise, of the report, is therefore a matter for the Committee, not the Scottish Executive.

Nuclear Base Protest

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were arrested during the protest at Faslane Nuclear Base on 14 February 2000, what offences those arrested were believed to have committed and how many of those arrested were subsequently charged.

Mr Jim Wallace: 179 persons were arrested by Strathclyde Police and a further three by Ministry of Defence Police. Of those arrested by Strathclyde Police, 133 were charged with Breach of the Peace, 44 with Breach of the Peace and resisting arrest, and two with Obstruction. The three arrested by Ministry of Defence Police were charged with Breach of the Peace.

Nuclear Base Protest

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those arrested during the protest at Faslane Nuclear Base on 14 February 2000 were detained in police cells, how many protesters were held in each cell and how many female protesters were released from police custody after public transport had ceased operating for the evening.

Mr Jim Wallace: Of the 182 persons arrested, 178 were detained in police cells in several police offices in the Strathclyde Police area (104 cells held one individual, 19 cells held three, three cells held four and one cell held five), one individual was held in a detention room and three others were released without being detained. The female protestors were released at various times. Arrangements were made for those concerned to be met by fellow protestors who were using a minibus to transport their colleagues and, where public transport was to be used, every effort was made to release those arrested prior to the cessation of these services.

Parliamentary Questions

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has asked back-bench MSPs to lodge parliamentary questions in order to enable it to make an announcement; whether it will provide a list of such questions, including the date on which they were lodged, and whether any of its officials have written authorisations to lodge parliamentary questions in the names of back-bench MSPs.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are occasions when, for the convenience of members, the Executive brings a matter to the attention of the Parliament by means of a written parliamentary question. This is an appropriate mechanism for matters which are not so significant as to require a ministerial statement.

  The lodging of a parliamentary question is a matter for the member concerned, and no officials have authorisation to lodge questions on behalf of members.

  Although not identified separately in our records, it has been possible to identify the following 116 questions (out of the 4,800 lodged to 28 February) as being inspired by the Executive.

  0162, 0164, 0182, 0268, 0284, 0285, 0286, 0347, 0366, 0367, 0460, 0696, 0697, 0719, 0804, 0846, 0847, 0848, 0936, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1230, 1304, 1351, 1420, 1443, 1464, 1502, 1558, 1583, 1648, 1649, 1678, 1679, 1719, 1919, 1992, 2104, 2114, 2115, 2149, 2150, 2230, 2231, 2391, 2445, 2446, 2473, 2530, 2559, 2560, 2591, 2592, 2593, 2612, 2649, 2651, 2652, 2680, 2681, 2682, 2714, 2752, 2768, 2795, 2805, 2860, 2931, 2945, 2985, 2986, 3022, 3023, 3126, 3294, 3304, 3352, 3353, 3354, 3388, 3411, 3412, 3413, 3448, 3655, 3656, 3663, 3769, 3789, 3854, 3855, 3866, 3867, 3868, 3955, 3997, 4008, 4083, 4084, 4110, 4161, 4162, 4163, 4224, 4266, 4293, 4313, 4363, 4413, 4433, 4443, 4558, 4640, 4700 and 4701.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ruled out the use of Dungavel House as a component of the Scottish penal system, whether operated by the Scottish Prison Service or by a private operator.

Mr Jim Wallace: Yes. This is an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service. They have no plans at present to use Dungavel House as a prison following its closure in the summer.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether South Lanarkshire Council has been consulted regarding suitable alternative uses for Dungavel House and its grounds and what advice has been received.

Mr Jim Wallace: No.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to consult the local community regarding future use of Dungavel House and its grounds.

Mr Jim Wallace: None.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre the marketing brief issued to the sales agents appointed to market Dungavel House and its grounds.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. This is an operational and commercial matter for which the Scottish Prison Service is fully responsible.

Scots Language

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote and protect the Scots language and what funds it intends to devote for this purpose.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Executive directly supports the Scottish National Dictionary , the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue , the Scots Language Resource Centre and the Scottish Poetry Library (which promotes poetry in Scots as well as other languages). These grants amount to £135,000 in the current year. Curricular guidelines encourage the teaching of Scots literature in schools and contain numerous opportunities for including Scots in the curriculum. The forthcoming national cultural strategy will provide an occasion to review the position of Scots and the means of support for it. Scots will also attract the provisions of Part II of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages which the UK Government signed on 2 March.

Voluntary Sector

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether City of Edinburgh Council has followed policy guidance from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the funding of voluntary organisations in relation to the Waverley Care Trust grant.

Iain Gray: It is not for the Scottish Executive to comment on individual cases of voluntary sector funding by local authorities or other statutory agencies. I understand that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is presently reviewing how councils have made use of its guidance on funding.

  The Scottish Executive has a commitment to work with local authorities and other voluntary sector funders to create a more stable funding environment for the sector at both national and local level, for instance through three-year funding.

Water Boundaries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available any written legal advice from the Scottish Law Officers received by The Scottish Office relating to the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999, prior to or since it completed the legislative process.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive does not have access to advice which may have been given to a previous administration.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will include in the information supplied to MSPs the resale or development value of the site of the Holyrood Project, excluding Queensberry House.

Sir David Steel: The report by the independent review team will include an estimate of the value of the site. Queensberry House is part of the site and will therefore be included in that valuation.